Revision Surgery: Complications from previous plastic surgeons

The patient is sometimes dissatisfied with the results for subjective reasons. However, there are also post-operative complications caused by the operating surgeon.

Sometimes these complications are so serious that, in addition to the lack of expected results, the patient also gets functional impairments. Naturally, these should be removed by the surgeon who conducted the original operation, but that is not practiced by all.  Oftentimes, surgeons either do not recognize their mistakes, or do not know how to overcome them. Thus the patient has to turn to other, more experienced, plastic surgeons.

Once examining the result, an experienced plastic surgeon can immediately evaluate the previous surgeon’s work – his competence and errors, or the unfounded bias of the patient.

Correcting the already available result is a very responsible and serious challenge for surgeons.  The surgeon must explain in detail about the technical complexities and nuances of repeated surgical intervention. Honesty in predicting the new results is of paramount importance.

Many patients who are dissatisfied with the results from a previously conducted plastic surgery elsewhere turn to Dr. Karine Karapetian for consultation and treatment.

Her considerable surgical experience (more than 30 years) and high professionalism in Maxillofacial and Plastic-Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery can help the patients to obtaining an objective evaluation of results and to identify surgeon’s negligence or errors (if any).  Based on these, Dr Karapetian will be able to offer the optimal method of revision surgery in order to obtain the desired result, and to conduct precisely that operation that is needed in each individual case with full responsibility and with high surgical technique.

For various reasons, such as loss of trust and faith in the success of the operation, the patient may choose not to undergo yet another surgery.  Nevertheless, the consultation will help him/her to receive comprehensive information and necessary recommendations.

Some of the postoperative complications include:

Questions & Answers: 
I am 63 yrs of age and would like to have a neck lift. I had one five years ago but my neck was still saggy afterwards and didn't look much different. I would like a revision but do not need liposuction. I am happy to send photos but would like some idea of costings even if it was a broad spectrum to see if it was worth me coming to Athens for the surgery.Thanks, Katie.

Dear Katie,
I'd be glad to help you, as many foreign patients choose me for plastic surgery procedures, and thus, travel to Athens. To start with, please telephone me and we can talk about your case in more detail and I'll tell you my e-mail address so that you can forward your photos. If you have Skype, we can even hold a Skype consultation. Once I see you, I'll be able to determine the cost of the revision neck lift procedure that you require.
It is very likely that the overall cost of neck lift revision, including the cost of travel and accommodation, will work out to be cheaper than doing the said procedure in your country. But as I said, we have to talk these things through in more detail.

7 years ago I had the injection of polymer gel into the lip. The operation was conducted in Russia by another specialist. Now that gel is hanging in the corner of the upper lip in the form of bag. Can it be surgically removed, and how dangerous would such procedure be?

Any polymer gel is an alien matter which is not always accepted by the body at 100%. There are a numerous types of polymer gels. Some of them are able to move from one region of the face to another. Before the introduction of the gel, the patients should be full informed about the type of gel, and its possible side effects. Surgical removal of the gel is possible, but the complexity of the removal depends on the depth of its location within the soft tissue and the proximity to important nerves and vessels. It is desirable that the surgical removal is conducted by the plastic surgeon who injected this gel in the first place, since he/she would know better the location of the gel at the time of its introduction.

After a full endoscopic facelift with another plastic surgeon, I now have a problem with the upper lip. The upper lip is numb and slightly swollen. It's been one and a half years now, but this problem does not pass. The surgeon who did the operation, says that everything is alright. I could not prove anything to him. What should I do in order to fix my lip? Or will it remain like this for the remainder of my life?

Firstly, you need to view 2-3 or even 4 surgeons, or a panel of plastic surgeons headed by your operating surgeon. This is necessary for the proper establishment of the causes leading to this complication. Secondly, in order to rule out a damage to the facial nerve and muscle, electromyography is necessary so as to test for possible nerve damage. Third step would be a special physiotherapy, but, unfortunately, much time has passed after your operation. And the fourth step would be a radical treatment, given the necessary indications, which must be determined by a panel of specialist plastic surgeons.

After the lower-blepharoplasty (done by another plastic surgeon), the lower eyelid of my left eye is drawn down by 1 millimetre. Can this be somehow fixed?

Such revision blepharoplasty may be carried out under local anesthesia. This is one of the possible complications after blepharoplasty (ectropion) and the omission occurred by just one millimetre.

Four months ago I had a neck-lift (with another plastic surgeon). I am dissatisfied with the results of that operation. Is it possible to do a neck-lift revision surgery and after what period of time would it be possible?

You did not fully describe what it is that you are not satisfied with. But any revision cosmetic surgery is recommended only one year after the original procedure.

After a breast reduction surgery (conducted by another surgeon) I still have keloid scars. How to deal with them?

Keloid scars is one of the important problems in plastic surgery. Their repeated excision is not productive. Some of the following treatments may be effective: hormone therapy, the use of special silicon plates on the skin, injections in the keloid zone, as well as laser therapy using the latest laser technology. Of course, I would have to examine this case in person and in more depth, so as to provide more detailed answers.